MassWildlife proposes regulations to ban predator contests and prohibit wanton waste

re: grousing

Massachusetts has a considerable amount of open space for its population. However, much of it is born from tax write-offs (think Trustees of Reservations), where the DFW doesn't have much reach. In western Massachusetts, it's not uncommon to see a home situated in the middle of a large parcel with the surrounding land "donated," but off limits to wildlife management. Much of what used to be worked land is now forest. Not the best habitat for a variety of wildlife.
 
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Wait, are you saying they think we don't have too many deer now? Those things are like mice or rats, all over the place.

Not in 1-8 they are not.

I live and hunt in 8. I was speaking of 1-9 where deer are like gypsy moth caterpillars.

My neighbor said there was a herd of 24-25 down behind his house this morning. Deer are just giant mice. Way, WAY too many of them. Zone 8.
 
Just to be clear.... If they ever did allow Sunday hunting in mass that would shorten the deer season. For example......shotgun season is 2 weeks.....minus Sundays. Add in one Sunday and they will shorten the season by one day. If muzzle loader season added in 3 Sundays they would shorten the season by 3 days. The management plans are all based on hunting pressure (total season days and total hunters) and success rates (regulating hunting impliments, bait rules, driving rules and such). Adding Sundays increases the pressure that the biologists use in their models.......so if Sundays are added.......the season length will be shortened.

Id rather add the Sundays and shorten the season......less vacation time burned for me to get the same days in the field. My point really is don't expect adding Sundays to give you more total days of deer hunting cuz that won't happen......you would gain Sundays but total hunting days would be the same.

Do you mean move shotgun season into November? Archery season already is in all of November. Again.......moving shotgun season ahead means losing days on the other end......they are not going to lengthen shotgun season for the whole state. I think you may see shotgun season lengthened in 10-14 zones someday......

Who mentioned shortening a season? I think they should allow archery, then add on black powder, then add on shotgun. These can be additive, with all in the last weeks. Also, who said adding Sundays would take anything off anywhere else?
 
Who mentioned shortening a season? I think they should allow archery, then add on black powder, then add on shotgun. These can be additive, with all in the last weeks. Also, who said adding Sundays would take anything off anywhere else?

I tend to agree. At best, if it ever happened, I would expect something similar to what Connecticut did. Archery only, private land only.

IME Massachusetts DFW cares little about the actual deer numbers other than wanting them as small as possible.

Not that I expect it to ever happen. For as long as I remember there has been a bill submitted to allow Sunday hunting.

Bob
 
Who mentioned shortening a season? I think they should allow archery, then add on black powder, then add on shotgun. These can be additive, with all in the last weeks. Also, who said adding Sundays would take anything off anywhere else?
Two epos I personally know and also a state biologist.

Biologist mentioned the total hunting pressure days

The epos mentioned funding for additional epos on duty......most have Sundays off during hunting season in mass.
 
Hunting pressure? There is an enormous lack of hunters in Massachusetts, and they are disappearing fast. Old timers are dropping out, and not many new people starting to hunt.
 
Hunting pressure? There is an enormous lack of hunters in Massachusetts, and they are disappearing fast. Old timers are dropping out, and not many new people starting to hunt.
I never said I agreed with it. That's just the info I have. However......remember.....the hunting pressure in Western zones is much much higher. It's like a totally different state west of Worcester. People do hunt out there.
 
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